Pile



Sept. 26, 1939. c. G. CAPPEL Y2,174,436

` PILE:v

'Filed Nov. 26. 195s 2 sheets-sheet 1 lwvQ/wbo'v CUR/PV GLENN CAPPEL C. G. CAPPEL Sept. 26, 1939.

PILE

Filedk N ov. 26, 1958 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JMW CUR/ay @LEA/ N @APPEL @M zii Patented Sept. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES iATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

IThe present invention relates to foundation supporting devices, all of which are broadly covered by the term piles and more specifically to piles, the sliding resistance to surrounding earth of which can be increased when so desired.

It has been found by experience that piles which are driven into earth strata, which of its own characteristics does not support the piling when the Weight of a foundation structure is applied thereto, can only be used in this particular strata by increasing the sliding resistance of the pile to the earth and in order to increase the resistance, said pile must displace and compact the earth through which it is driven. Many types of piles of varying materials and shapes have been developed in an attempt to increase the load bearing quanities of piling in such strata as does not supply a xed base or support for the end of the pile. The well known steel H-beam pile could carry no appreciable load except when it reached some hard stratum like rock or when driven a considerable length into materials such as sand or gravel. However, in ordinary soils, the H-beam pile did not displace suflicient earth to develop enough frictional resistance for supporting a load. Steel plates, timbers and other devices were permanently mounted through steel piles at right angles thereto to increase the cross section thereof at those points with a hope that by this means, the sliding resistance of the pile would be increased but such scabbing increased the size of the passage thorugh the earth to an area equal to the outside dimensions of the pile plus the scabbing and this increased projected area caused the loss of supporting earth to some sections of the pile and further increased the difliculty in driving the pile. Other known piling of a tubular type has had apparatus mounted therein which could be driven outwardly through openings of the pile to engage the surrounding earth in an attempt to stabilize the pile. This type is expensive t'o construct and, further, due to the clogging effect of earth or rocks at the openings of the pile, was frequently inoperative. The present invention has for its principal object to provide a pile with stabilizing apparatus therewith and which combination eliminates the drawbacks and failures of known piles.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pile which can be stabilized when desired to increase its load carrying capacity without greatly increasing the size of the earth penetration normally required for like piles minus the stabilizing means.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a pile having stabilizing means in conjunction therewith, which stabilizing means are not limited in area by their connection to the said pile.

Another equally important object is to provide a pile with a stabilizing means in connection therewith, which combination provides a sufficient increase in the size of the penetration into the earth relative to the size of the pile to permit the withdrawal of apparatus along the sides of the pile but without noticeably increasing the resistance of the pile to its surrounding earth while being driven.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a stabilizing means, the principle of which can be readily applied to piles of all shapes and sizes.'

Further objects of the present invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings wherein are disclosed several modications, by way of example, of applying the present invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of an H-beam pile with stabilizers mounted thereon in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of Fig. 1 taken on line 2 2 thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the H-beam pile with the stabilizers mounted thereon in open position beneath the surface of the ground.

Fig. 4 is a top view of Fig. 3 with the earth removed.

Fig. 5 is a top view of a tubular pile with stabilizers mounted thereon in a closed position.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of Fig. 5 showing the piling and stabilizers being driven into the earth.

Fig. 7 is a top view of the modification-shown in Fig. 5 but with the stabilizers in open position.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of Fig. 7 but showing t'he device beneath the surface of the earth.

Fig. 9 is a top view of a square pile with the stabilizers mounted thereon in closed position.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of Fig. 9 with the piling and stabilizers being driven into the earth, and

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the modification showing the square pile with the stabilizers in an open position as they would be beneath the surface of the earth.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings wherein like and corresponding parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the several Views, I have herein illustrated several modifications, by way of example, for carrying out the present invention. Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, reference numeral I designates an H-beam pile consisting of a pair of side walls 2 and an intermediate connecting wall 3. Mounted across and through said side walls are a pair of bolts 5, one of which is mounted on either side of said intermediate wall 3. Said bolts 5 are threaded at both ends and retained in their respective positions by means of nuts 6 in threaded engagement therewith. Pivotally mounted upon said bolts 5 are a pair of stabilizers 4, which stabilizers consist primarily of a broad plate capable of fitting between side walls 2 of the pile and a pair of sides 'I which are substantially at right angles to the plate and which have bolts 5 passing through diametrically opposite openings formed along the outer edge of said sides I in the upper portion thereof for comprising the pivotal connection of the stabilizer upon said bolts. A portion of said side walls 1 is tapered as at I6 in order to permit the stabilizer to pivot without the same contacting intermediate wall 3 until the stabilizer 4 is in an open position, that is, when it is projecting laterally from said pile. Interposed between the upper end of said stabilizers 4 and the intermediate wall 3 are a pair of blocks 9 expressly shaped to snugly fit therebetween in order to retain said stabilizers 4 in their closed position. Connected to said blocks 9 are a pair of eyebolts IIJ to each of which is connected a cable or rope, which cable extends upwardly along said pile. Side walls 'I are further shaped in such a manner that when the stabilizer 4 is in a closed position, a portion of said side walls contacts the intermediate wall 3 whereby the broad plate extends at an angle upwardly and outwardly from said intermediate wall 3 in such a manner that said stabilizers substantially form a wedge.

In the operation of this principal modification of the present invention, the H-beam pile is driven downwardly into a stratum of earth, for example, which will not ordinarily support the H-beam with a load thereon until a short distance from the point at which it is desired to maintain the same. During this driving motion, blocks 9 have retained the stabilizers 4 in their closed position and due to the wedge shape of said stabilizers, the same has readily moved downwardly with the Hbeam pile, causing a passage in the earth substantially equal to the total outside dimensions of said pile. When the pile has reached the aforementioned point, the cables attached to eyebolts I0 are pulled upwardly by operators together with the bloclrsI 9 through the passage in the earth formed by said closed stabilizers4. With the removal of the blocks E, the pile is driven a few feet further and the lower edge 2I of the stabilizers will bite into the earth at the start of said drive and due to the frictional resistance of said earth, the now tripped condition of the stabilizers and the force transmitted thereto by the pile at their points of connection, said stabilizers will be forced outwardly gradually as the pile is driven downwardly, until the upper end of each of said stabilizers contacts the intermediate wall 3, at which point the down- `ward movement of the pile should be discontinued. The stabilizers have now compressed and are supported by a large additional area of the surrounding stratum and as a result thereof, the sliding resistance of the earth to the pile has been greatly increased, whereby, the pile will remain in its stabilized position even upon the addition of a load thereto considerably heavier than loads previously applied to H-beam piles situated in like strata. The plate and side walls of the stabilizers form substantially a scoop shape and as a result thereof, retain the earth thereunder and prohibit the sliding of the earth therefrom. In this manner, any downward movement of the pile and stabilizer only increases the amount of earth compacted thereunder and the more the downward movement thereof, the greater the increase of the resistance of the earth to said pile.

Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive of the drawings, disclose a second modification of the present invention wherein stabilizers are applied to a round or tubular pile. In this modification, casing I3 represents a tubular pile but, of course, may equally as well be solid without deviating from the present construction. Mounted through said pile I3 upon a diameter thereof is a bolt 5 and pivotally mounted upon each outer end portion of said bolt 5 are a pair of stabilizers II and I4. Each of said stabilizers I I and I4 have a pair of diametrically opposed openings formed through the upper portion along the outer edges thereof for permitting said bolt 5 to pass therethrough comprising a pivotal mounting of the stabilizers upon said bolt 5. Nuts 6 in threaded engagement with said bolt 5 retain the stabilizers on said bolt and at the same time, retain the bolt in position relative to the pile. As will be noted especially in Fig. 5, stabilizers II and I4 are formed having a pair of straight WallsI connected by a semi-circulan wall, thereby creating a deep scoop-like form therefor. These three walls of the stabilizers have their top edge I5 thereof shaped concave to permit the said walls to arrive at a position approximately at right angles to the pile when the stabilizers are in an open position. As in the previous modification, a pair of blocks I2 are each interposed between one of the stabilizers and the pile I3 for retaining the stabilizers in a closed position around said pile. When in a closed position, said stabilizers II and I4 are substantially wedge-shaped, having a cross section approximately equal to the cross section of the pile at their lower end and extending upwardly and outwardly with a cross section larger than the pile at their upper end.

The operation of this second modification is quite similar to the first mentioned modification in that the pile I3 is driven downwardly while the stabilizers II and I4 are retained in their closed wedge-shaped position by means of the blocks I2. Theipile is driven downwardly into the earth 8 until a short distance above the point at which the pile is to be maintained and then the blocks I2 are drawn upwardly through the passage formed in the earth by the closed stabilizers II and I4 by means of the cables attached to eyebolts I0. The pile is then driven downwardly and the lower edges 22 of the stabilizers II and I4 from the beginning of the drive, bite into the surrounding stratum and due to this friction, as well as the tripped condition of the stabilizers and the force applied thereto at the point of pivotal connection by said pile, said stabilizers II and' I4 are caused to move outwardly from the pile I3 until the upper edge I5 of said stabilizers contacts the pile I3 and arrests the motion of the stabilizers. In this manner, pile I3 compacts a greater area of earth than with the stabilizers closed and any further downward movement thereof is braked due to the large increase in resistance of the earth compacted under the scoop-shaped stabilizers II and I4. By the scoop shape of said stabilizers, the earth is prevented from escaping therefrom and any downward movement of the pile due, for instance, to an increase of load thereon, will be met by an increased resistance as more of the surrounding stratum is packed under the stabilizers.

Another example or modification for carrying out the principle of the present invention is disclosed in Figs. 9 to 11 inclusive, wherein stabilizers are applied to a solid, rectangular pile. Reference numeral H indicates a square pile having a bolt mounted therethrough and which bolt has pivotallymounted on the outer portions thereof a pair of Vstabilizers I8. The outer portions of said bolt pass through diametrically opposed .openings formed in the upper portion of said vstabilizers near the outer and top edges thereof vand nuts in threaded connection with said bolt retain the said stabilizers thereon as well as maintain .the bolt in its position relative to said pile I'I. Said stabilizers I8 are formed having a plate and a pair of side walls 20 connected to .and projecting .substantially at right angles from the plate. The upper edge 22 of said side walls 20 are shaped to permit the stabilizers I8 to project laterally from said pile Il when in their open position. Interpcsed between the plate of said stabilizers I8 and the pile I'I are a pair of blocks I9 which are shaped to snugly t therebetween and retain the stabilizers in a closed position relative to said pile I'I. Said blocks have eyebolts I9 connected thereto and extending vertically therefrom, which eyebolts are in turn connected to cables which extend upwardly along the sides of said pile I'I.

By driving the square pile I'I downwardly into a section of earth with the stabilizers retained in their closed position by the b-locks I9, said stabilizers, which as shown expressly in Fig. 10 having substantially a wedge shape when in their closed position, will create a sufficient enlargement of the passage through the earth over the passage normally made by the square pile alone to permit the blocks. I9 to be drawn upwardly along the sides of said pile and outwardly above the surface of the earth with a minimum amount of effort. This slightly increased passage around the pile may be filled in with a concrete or the like, if so desired, or with additional earth. The removal of the blocks I9 trips the stabilizers I8 and permits the same to be rotatable about their pivot point. Said blocks I9 are only removed from their position between the pile and said stabilizers I8 when the combination has reached a point directly above that at which it is desired to sustain the pile. Upon the removal of the blocks I9, the pile. I'I, similar to the aforementioned operations as applied to the previous modifications, is caused to move downwardly. The ends 23 of said stabilizers I8 meet with suflicient resistance from the surrounding stratum as their upper end is caused to move downward with the pile due to the pivotal connection therebetween, to retain them at the level at which they were upon the removal of the blocks I9. This resistance of the ends 23 together with the downward force applied at the pivotal point of said stabilizers I8 by the bolt 5 causes the stabilizers to move outwardly from the pile I'I until the upper edge 22 of said stabilizers contacts the side of pile I'I, whereby any further movement thereof is arrested. The stabilizers, in tlheir arrested position as shown in Fig. 11, extend laterally from the pile II while the pile I1 is now at the 'position relative to the earth in which it is desired to maintain the same. Further, as in the other modifications, the stabilizers I8, due to their .plate and sidewall, are substantially scoop-shaped .andwill therefore retain and compact `therebeneath ra considerable area of the surrounding stratum, whereby, the rresistance of the soil to anydownward move-ment of the pile is greatly increased to an extent which makes it possible for the 'pile to 'maintain a load from approximately `ten to twenty `.times as great as the same Vpile without stabilizers would maintain in similar strata.

The foregoing .described modifications clearly disclose a. denite principle for stabilizing piles regardless of the shape of a cross section thereof. This definite principle, Abriefly stated, is to providescoop-shaped or like members for the pile which members, when retained by locking means in a closed position lupon the pile, are substantially wedge-shaped to offer the minimum amount of resistance inthe .downward movement thereof with the pile and yet, which members create a passage for the removal of said `locking means along the sides of said pile. Further, the members are so shaped as to permit them to extend laterally from said piles when pivoted through an arc limited only by contact of a portion of the member with said pile for increasing the resistance of the earth to any downward movement of said pile and which members are maintained in a locked lateral position by contact with said piles.

The present apparatus which contains a minimum number of members will not noticeably increase the force required to drive the pile downwardly and yet the stabilizing members thereof are simply and efliciently operated by the mere tripping thereof and continued downward movement of the pile.

The principle of the modifications shown herein can be readily applied to various shaped piles without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and therefore, any further modications or changes of the examples shown herein which come within the scope of the claims are deemed to be part of the present invention.

I claim:

1. An improvement in piles comprising an H- beam structural support, a series of scoop-shaped members pivotally carried between and by the sidewalls of said H-beam support, said scoopshaped members having the interior face thereof facing downward, each of said members being mounted in such a manner that the pivotal movement thereof is limited by Contact with a wall of said support, and means capable of retaining said members in a given position between said side walls when desired.

2. An improvement in piles comprising a structural support composed of a pair of side walls and an intermediate wall connecting said side walls, a pair of axles supported by and between said side walls with an axle on each side of said intermediate wa-ll, a pair of stabilizing members each loosely mounted at its upper portion upon one of said shafts, said members forming substantially a wedge with said intermediate Wall when in their closed position, said members being further shaped to permit them to pivot about their axles in a given arc until their upper edge contacts said intermediate member and a pair of blocks each capable of being interposed between one of said members and said intermebers in a closed position.

3. An improvement in piles comprising a structural support, means carried thereby capable of forming a wedge with the periphery of said support in one position and lateral projections therefrom in a second position and means for retaining said rst means in said first mentioned position,

4. An improvement in piles comprising in combination a pile structure and a series of stabilizing members pivotally mounted upon said structure each comprising a plate and a plurality of walls extending from the lower face of said plate.

5. An improvement in piles comprising in cornbination a pile structure and a series of stabilizing members each comprising a plate, a plurality of longitudinally tapered walls extending from a lower face of said plate and said tapered walls being pivotally connected to said pile structure.

6. An improvement in piles comprising in combination a pile structure composed of a pair of side walls and an intermediate wall connecting said side walls and a pair of stabilizing memdiate wall when it is desired to retain the members each composed of a plate, a plurality of walls each connected to and extending perpendicular from one of said plates and being pivotally connected to one of said side walls and each of said plurality of walls being shaped longitudinally thereof to cause its connected plate to form a wedge with said intermediate wall in one position and to extend therefrom in another position.

7. An improvement in piles comprising in combination a pile structure composed of a pair of side walls and an intermediate wall connecting said side walls, a plurality of stabilizing members each composed of a plate, a plurality of walls extending substantially perpendicular from the lower face of said plate, said walls each being tapered inwardly towards its lower end and pivoted to one of said side walls at the upper portion thereof and a plurality of wedge blocks leach detachably positioned between an upper portion of one of said stabilizing members and said intermediate wall.

CURRY GLENN CAPPEL. 

